Doctors Warn Them To Expect The Worst, At 22 Wks Mom Forced To Deliver Baby With See Through Skin

by
HeartEternal Staff 6/22/2017

Helen and Rhys Douglas had struggled to get pregnant for a long time. Helen, 30, and Rhys, 25, hail from Britain where Helen had been treated for polycystic ovary syndrome, which meant that medically, her chances of ever becoming pregnant were quite small.

So it was an absolute miracle when Helen joyfully discovered that she was indeed pregnant. The couple was astounded to have defeated the odds and conceive. They picked out the name Austin after an ultrasound showed it was a boy.

"I was told years ago that I would probably have an early menopause and children were off the agenda, so Austin has been a little miracle from the very beginning ... When I found out I was pregnant, I was ecstatic."

However, when Helen entered her fourth month, her pregnancy took a turn for the worse. At 22 weeks, Helen found herself doubled over with severe stomach pains. Then she began experiencing heavy bleeding.

They rushed to the hospital where doctors told Helen that she was fully dilated and there was nothing they could do to stop little Austin's birth. At 22 weeks, doctors told the couple that there was virtually no chance that the baby would survive.

Austin arrived weighing just one pound, four ounces, and fit into the palm of his mom's hand. His skin was virtually translucent and his internal organs could be seen through his skin. Even the holes in his ears hadn't formed yet and his lungs hadn't developed.

But Austin didn't care about the doctors' diagnosis. The miracle baby had other plans. His parents were thrilled to discover that Austin was a fighter.

"He's been fighting since day one. We were asked if we wanted medical assistance for him, given how premature he was. I told doctors that if he came out breathing, I wanted them to do everything they could and they did. I love him so much and I'm so grateful for all the care he's had."

The medical staff intervened immediately after he was delivered and began working on Austin while his parents panicked. Helen said "it was terrifying." Once Austin was stabilized, he was safely nestled in an incubator then transported to another hospital where he remained for seven weeks.

Doctors knew Austin could take a turn for the worse at any moment and warned his family that the outlook was volatile. Austin had to fight a lung infection twice, but prevailed.

"He has grown a lot, I have to hold him with two hands now and he is bigger than my husband's hand. His heart beat is strong and breathing on his own gets better and longer every day. We have to take each day at a time but I've never prayed so much in my life since he came into the world."